Experiment 17
by C'est La Vie Mon Amour
Summary: They changed me. Messed with my DNA , with my body in ways that still makes my skin crawl. And they did it all for the sake of trying. GarrusxOCxThane GarrusxF!ShepxThane
1. The Final Goodbye

Just a story for my giant crush on Garrus Vakarian and Thane Krios. ;p It's a bit slow at first and yes, I gave her an accent(which I think is totally racist but I love it). This is almost complete cheese with a dark undertone. Hopefully you'll laugh, cry, sympathize, etc. as you read this. Chapter titles will range from important plot points in the story, to words with significant meanings, and song titles.

Disclaimer:  
Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast  
Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.  
Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**The Final Goodbye**

* * *

Hands shaking in anticipation, I grabbed hold of my darling sister Aurelia. A shaky breath entered her as she crushed me in a hug. I could feel a wetness on my shoulder as she took in another gasping breath. My chest felt heavy, I didn't want to let go. I closed my own stinging eyes.

"Ah'm goin' tah be fine, Aura.." My voice was thick and if I blinked hard enough, my tears would fall.

"Ah know, doesn' stop me from worryin', Fifer." Her bright blue eyes stared into mine, lips quivering as she gripped my arms. I wanted to take her back home, make some tea, and forget the five years of training I had just completed. "Ah'm goin' tah miss ye, Fifi.."

My lips shook as I gave her another bone crushing hug. The thought of leaving my only living relative left my mind in hysterics. Aura had come so far. Her baby blues were bright again. My fingers shook as I grazed her cheek, smudging the streaks of tears.

"Ah'll be back soon. Ye don' have tah worry yourself sick. Ah'm a trained Allience solider, now." I kissed her once on her forehead, letting my lips linger to regain some form of self-control. I couldn't let her see me so weak. The water was building inside me. The dam was going to break soon and I didn't want her to see it. "Ah'm goin' tah be a hero, jus' like Dah."

All Aurelia could do was nod a few times. She let out a small, stifled sob as she buried her blonde head into my shoulder for the last time. My body trembled as I held her against me, memorizing the way she smelt, the way her eyes glowed when she was happy, the way she looked exactly like mum. A sigh escaped my lips.

"Ah have tah go now, baby sistah. Ah'll miss ye, so very much."

"Fifi, please. Be safe." Her voice cracked and the strings attached to my heart pulled tight. "Ah love ye."

I closed my eyes and pulled away, holding her face in my hands as she sobbed. For a few seconds I just examined her. She was in hysterics. Putting my forehead against hers, I whispered our secret saying from our teenage years.

"There is no bettah friend than a sistah."

"And there is no bettah sistah then ye." With one last kiss to her cheek, I smiled. Aurelia smiled back, her face stained with tears. As I let go of her, I could hear the shatter of glass in my chest and with every step, a crack. There was the sky car that was going to take me to my ship, my new job.

When I got to the bright blue machine I paused and turned to look at her. I smiled once more, my eyes saying more than I could at this moment. Her arms wrapped around herself and she gave me a teary smile back. The first tear slid down my cheek and I turned to my driver. _Oh, God help me_. I hesitantly stepped into the sky car. I turned to look out of the window. _One last look,_ I told myself. She was staring at me, her hand raised. I placed mine against the cool glass.

The final goodbye.


	2. The Facility

AN: It's longer and I enjoy it, but it's a tad rushed. I hope you enjoy it, as well.

Disclaimer:

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast  
Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.  
Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

It was warm and I was comfortable. Like I was at home in my cozy little apartment by the beach with Aurelia. I could almost feel the salty sea breeze and hear her screaming and laughing with our mum. My lips twitched up in a soft smile as I turned on my stomach to hug my pillow. That's when pain erupted in my abdomen.

I hunched around it, trying to shelter myself from the unknown force. I felt blow after blow. The pain erupted in time with my heart beat. It only got worse. I screamed.

Somewhere far away I could hear a door open and people rushing in. There was shouting and scuffling. Tears sprang into my eyes as I howled in agony. The pain was unbearable. My arms were pulled away from my abdomen and my body was stretched out on the soft sheets. It hurt. I felt a prick in my neck. A cold soothing liquid flowed through me as my world went black.

* * *

**The Facility**

* * *

I was Experiment 17. One of a few that had survived the first five surgeries, in a group of even fewer who had survived the changes the implants caused in our bodies. Only Experiments 103 and 112 had survived with me. Through all of the extreme tests and the pain, we grew close. We relied on one another as if we were family.

It has been three years since I've seen Aura. I was labeled 'killed in action' on one of my first missions. It killed me every day to knowing that she was on her own, now. Yet the only thing that got me through the day was the hope of seeing her again.

Sighing, I tossed around the expensive food on my plate. It was weird, alien. I snorted-not the most attractive thing I could do- and felt my throat vibrate. My hand rubbed at it. They were a product of the last implants. It still hurt to swallow.

"What's wrong, bugga-boo?"

"Ah'm jus' thinkin' abou' tha implants." My murky eyes looked to my only two friends. Mary had her dark hair held high in a barrette and the common Cerberus outfit held tightly to all her curves. Triston had his hair pushed out of his face and a sweat jacket over his Cerberus garb. I smiled at them, my throat humming in contentment. My stomach twisting to a different feeling.

"Don't worry, Fifi. We'll be fine." Triston said as he quickly kissed my head on the way to the breakfast they served us.

"I agree with Tony. We've made it this far. I overheard that the implants aren't even a threat to us anymore." Mary chimed in, waiting for her boyfriend to grab food for the both of them. Flashing her a smile as I brought the strange piece or-what looked like- fruit to my mouth. It tasted like a stiff drink and a pound of sugar. It made my brows furrow and my tongue tingle as I swallowed. I went for another piece, my throat chiming in my approval.

"It doesn' stop me from worryin'." I mutter, the dual tone in my voice making me cough. "Tha' tickled."

Mary's lips curved softly, her brown eyes shining. I knew she understood the worry I was feeling. She had shared to me one night when they were operating on Triston what the stress did to her. I gave her a pat on the hand, my sacred vest riding up.

"Breakfast is served, my love~" Tony hummed at the raven haired girl. He gently set the trays before them and sat down with a 'humph'. She gave him a look before placing a chaste kiss to his lips. Wanting more than a kiss, Triston dove his face into her neck making her giggle. My heart swelled as I looked at them. They were so adorable.

We chatted about nothing in particular over the extravagant breakfast. It seemed like an extremely slow day. After breakfast we headed over to the gymnasium. Together we trained hand to hand combat and our biotics. The day was peaceful. But I still couldn't help the feeling swirling in my stomach. I felt sick, anxious. There was something in the air, something that signaled trouble.

"Do ye feel tha', Tony?" I whispered to Triston, trying not to alert Mary. He glanced at me and nodded, brows furrowing.

My face turned grim as I looked around. Today, everyone seemed on edge. They had there weapons out and were keeping a keen eye on the doors. Were we in lock down? I couldn't help but chew on my cheek as we made our way back to our rooms to change into our mandatory uniforms.

A small bang rang out and I froze. My new Turian implants on high alert. A few seconds later, a louder bang echoed through the room. This time, loud enough for human hearing. I took a deep breath. It smelled like burnt flesh and blood. My eyes looked towards my companions. They held each other close, Triston putting himself in front of Mary as we distinguished where the banging was coming from. The panic lights went on and I jumped. A mans voice came through the speakers. It was the lead scientist.

"Code Red! Code Red!" He shouted. "Intruder alert! Eliminate the Experiments. I repeat, eliminate the Experiments!"

It took me a second to process what he said. I looked around to see every gunner in the immediate area pointing their weapons at us. Triston pulled me along with him and Mary as they slowly started to run away. It didn't take long before they started firing at us. My arms went up in front of my face as I used my barrier. Triston pulled Mary closer to me as I rushed down the hall. It had only been a few short minutes but I could feel my body weakening quickly. Training didn't prepare me for this kind of attack.

"Ah can' keep thah barrier for tah much longah!" My voice carrying over the fire.

"Triston, warp them." Mary shouted from the back. I felt a hand on the back of my shirt, stopping me. I tuned just in time to see our Cerberus captures fly through the air. Instead of admiring his work, I focused back on our route to the closets set of stairs. I didn't bother picking up a gun. I was so out of practice that I'd probably end up hitting one of them. "Where are we going, Fifer."

"Somewhere Ah know yer going tah be safe. An' tha' place isn' here." The twisting in my gut got worse as we hiked our way to the front doors, if I was reading the signs correctly. With every last bit of energy I had devoted to the barrier, it was getting harder to walk. We paused in a now empty hallway where I fell against a wall. Mary looked at me and frowned, her bright eyes filling with water.

"We're not going to survive this, are we?" A soft comforting sound left Tony as he put his hands on her face.

"We're all going to make it, babe. I'm not letting anything harm you or Fifer." He looked at me and I nodded to him, my barrier back up around us.

We fought tooth and nail to get up the final set of stairs. I knew that the guards in this facility were dwindling quickly when we progressed up to the higher levels. We paused for another break in an empty operating room that smelled of death and sterilized tools. I slammed my hand against the panel to close the door behind us. My knees shook as I fought to stay up right. A long pain filled mew escaped my lips as I fell into the bed an Experiment was once in.

"Fifer, stay awake we need you to stay awake." Mary panted as she crossed the room to my side. She and Triston were leaning heavily against each other.

"Ah love ye both, Ah hope ye know tha'." I croaked out. A glass of water sounded absolutely amazing right now. Triston put his hand on my head and nodded. Mary smiled, her eyes half lidded in exhaustion. The swoosh of the door made me bolt right out of the bed. I was able to throw my hands up to put my flickering barrier around us. I wasn't going to die, not when I've come this far.


	3. Safe and Sound

AN: Another extremely short chapter. Don't expect chapters to come this fast. Ever. No Garrus or Thane yet, but they will be here soon, I promise. Hopefully you'll still enjoy these chapters.

Thank you, Dinodude7 for being my first favorite and my first follow! You're awesome!

Disclaimer:

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast  
Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.  
Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**Safe and Sound**

* * *

Three people looked at us from the doorway. Their armor a range of different colors, as well as their species. A human, a Quarian, and an Asari. They kept a keen eye on us as they entered. We all paused when I let out a feral growl. No one made any move as I stared down a pretty little blonde who stood ahead of the other two, most likely the leader. My barrier flickered in and out. I was extremely weak. Just a bit longer, Fifer. Think of Aura.

"Who are you?" The blonde spoke, her voice strong. She was in charge. The growl died in my throat. I had to focus on protecting us. The adrenaline was dying down and I could feel every bruise and bump. My body was being stretched to lengths I didn't dare dream of.

"We were experiments." Triston spoke up, stepping forward to put himself at the front. His voice was heavy. How long were we running? I followed him with my eyes. They hadn't put down there guns yet and I could feel the darkness creeping from the back of my head. "We've been here for three years now." I tried to shake the sleep away. A wave of dizziness washed over me and I saw spots. My barrier trembled and I let out a mew of pain. Everything hurt. I could feel my body give out from underneath me. Triston couldn't catch me in time and I fell to my hands and knees.

From the corner of my eyes I could see the Quarian fumble with her gun while the Asari took a tiny step forward. The air around the room was buzzing. I could faintly hear Mary's high pitched squeal as I closed my eyes. I felt cold. Maybe a nap would fix me. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.

I could hear them, talking in hushed whispers. My eyes refused to open. What felt like boulders weighed them down and a thick slab of glue kept them together. A small, pathetic sound left the back of my throat as I stretched my finger tips. The body that I resided in throughout my entire life wouldn't obey my commands. I couldn't move.

The whimper was louder this time as I curled my toes. I could only bend my knees so far before an unknown force pulled them to the mattress. My chest tightened when I realized why I hurt so badly. Mary and Triston. I could feel every beat of my heart in my ears, rapidly beating as the panic set in. The air around me sizzled. My biotics were trying to form a barrier around my beat up body. The voices got louder. There was more of them this time. I wanted to scream, to thrash, to cry. My mouth opened slightly and I gasped for a breath.

With one last push, I tried to sit up. I only flinched. What was wrong with me? Help me, anybody. Mary, please. Warm tears flowed down the sides of my head. I couldn't even cry properly. Triston, where are you? I wanted to sob into my hands, my face furrowed in some form of despair. Help.

**Help.**

"Fifer, it's okay." Warm hands gripped my face, trying to sooth my thrashing. "I'm safe, Triston's safe." My panic stopped. They were safe, thank the Gods. "We made it, Fifi. We made it out." Mary whispered all this to me and a small smile etched it's way onto my face. We were all safe. "Rest easy, we'll talk when you get up." We're safe.

"Finally." I muttered, my voice hitching as the darkness cradled me in it's now warm embrace.


	4. Scintilla

**AN: Thankyouthankyouthankyou ****KrystylSky**** for reviewing and following and to ****Lady Kat Stark****(whose name I love. GoT, anyone?) and ****Dinodude7****(my first follower). This chapter is for you three for enjoying my story! I thank you again, so very much and hope you enjoy the update!**

Disclaimer:

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast  
Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.  
Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

"Fifi, hurry up!" Aurelia yelled, her tiny hand in mine. "Look a' tha seagulls!" I watched as a few of the animals flew away from us. She tugged at our conjoined fingers wanting nothing my to chase after them. Smiling down at her large blue eyes, I let go of her hand. The young blonde turned and gave chase to the creatures.

"Careful, Aura! Don' trip ovah yer feet." My voice carried across the empty beach. She stumbled over the sand and turned to stick her tongue out at me. I only shrugged, laughing as she ran in circles. She was scaring the winged beasts away when she squealed and laughed.

The sun was just coming over the horizon and it covered the beach in a beautiful red glow. The heat felt nice along my skin. I smiled widely, feeling at peace with the world for the moment. We were going to meet the rest of our family at our special spot. It was going to be an amazing day.

* * *

**Scintilla**

(n) a tiny, brilliant flash or spark; a small thing; a barely-visible trace

* * *

I stretched my legs under the thin cotton sheets. My body felt rejuvenated, fresh. A smile rested easily on my face as I brought my arms to rub at my face. My throat purred my contentment. I heard shuffling around and my eyes flashed open, the smile wiped clean off my face.

The bright artificial lights blinded me. I sat up quickly. The movement stopped. Blinking and forcing my eyes to adjust I found I was in a hospital of some kind. I examined my surroundings. No, I was on a ship. My heart soared. I wasn't in a lab, I wasn't sowed up, and I felt, safe. Looking around, I found an older woman with kind eyes staring at me. She opened her mouth, careful not to approach me.

"Where am Ah?" I spoke with a tone cold. I might have been paranoid, but something felt, off. There was a large window looking out over the mess hall. A few people mulled about, on break. It only confirmed to me that I was in space, floating with no way out. I was to far away to make out the insignia on their uniforms, but I had a bad feeling about it.

"You're on the Normandy." The doctor replied, her voice slow.

The Normandy.

A sigh escaped my lips as my head spun to look at her. This is an alliance ship. I was safe. Wait. Jumping up and out of bed, I turned to face her.

"Th' Normandy was taken down by a Collecta' ship two years ago." I looked out the window again, my mind catching up with the present time. Those people, they wore a Cerberus uniform. A woman turned towards the glass, looking right at me. She had blue eyes that pierced mine in a way that made my toes curl. I was in some circle of hell, wasn't I?

"Please, Miss Leighton. If you could just calm-" My biotics flared up around me, ready to be used at any given moment.

"Tell meh th' truth or Ah'll blow a hole through yer ship!"

"Miss Leighton calm down and let me explain!" The women tried to reason with me. In the back of my mind I registered shouting. I was to angry to understand a word any of them said. "You're safe here! Mary and Triston are here, safe. No one's going to harm you."

"How do Ah know ye're no' fuckin' with meh?" I hissed, my sub-harmonics flaring a warning, loudly. A swoosh sounded from behind me. I turned my body to see a few unfamiliar people standing there, guns at the ready. My heart began to race and my breathing became uneven. I had no way out. Not good, not good.

"Fifer!" My head snapped to the window where someone hit the glass to get me attention. Tony.. A small mew of relief left my lips and I could finally breathe easier. I let my biotics die down and my hands fell to my sides. Rushing footsteps could be heard coming from the hall.

"Fifi!" A high pitched squeal echoed throughout the room, a purr following it. I was attacked by a hug before I could even turn around to face the door again.

"Mary, thank th' Gods ye're safe." I said, my voice thick with relief. I held her to me and I felt a small smile on my face as Triston made his way over to us. I pulled away from Mary and gave him a quick hug. My friends, my family.

"We were beginning to think you'd never wake up, boo-bear." His voice was soft as he pulled away. Mary grabbed our hands as she smiled.

"How long was Ah out?" I whispered as my eyes scanned the crowd. There were a few different species along with the humans standing there. All of them looking awkward.

"Awhile.." He answered. They both turned to look as they heard the new set of feet walk up. The pretty little blonde from the lab was making her toward us. Her shoulders were held high and her stride confident. She must be the commander of this ship. Most of the humans went back to minding there own business, letting their superiors handle me. Which, in itself was funny. Cerberus working underneath 'aliens'. The irony was not passed by me.

"Good to see you awake. Even happier to see you didn't blow a hole through my ship." She spoke, her voice laced with sarcasm. I let a grim smirk cross my lips.

"Ah'm no' a mornin' person."

"I noticed." Her lips pulled up in a small smile. "I bet you have some questions for me."

"Aye, indeed Ah do." I said, looking at Mary then to Triston. She nodded for all three of us to follow and then looked behind her to a Drell as well as the Asari from the lab. My friends both followed obediently. I on the other hand was very hesitant to fall in line. My eyes glanced back to the relieved doctor and I immediately felt the guilt rush through me. A frown settled on my face as I caught her eyes.

"Ah'm sorry, ma'am. I didn' mean tah freak out on ye. Ah was jus'-"

"Fifer, c'mon." Tony called, interrupting my apology. I turned to see the whole group had stopped for me. My cheeks warmed and I rushed to them. Looking down, I noticed that I was wearing a comfy Asari nightshirt and socks. _That's why I felt so free._ It didn't matter at the moment, though. Choosing to ignore the tight fitting dress, I looked at the group.

I caught the Drell's eyes and quickly looked away, my cheeks now a darker shade of red. My stomach was in knots again but I felt as light as air itself. Mary grabbed my hand, and I was thankful for the distraction. The feeling his eyes gave me was fleeting at best and I second guessed that I even felt it.

We all stepped into the large elevator, which in all actuality turned out to be a bit cramped. I grimaced as I was put at the front of my group, next to the Drell whose eyes gave me goose-flesh.. I wasn't second guessing that feeling now. My face retained it's flustered state because every now and again I would brush up against him. _How long was this goddamn elevator supposed to take?_


	5. Convivencia

**AN: Thank you again to all the people who took time out of there days to read this! Special thanks to Dinodude7, Lady Kat Stark, and KrystylSky. You guys are the best! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!**

**KrystylSky: Thank you! I'm really trying not to make it racist, but it's hard. lmao**

**Disclaimer:**

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast

Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.

Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**Convivencia**

(n) lit. "living together", in the sense of living or working closely with other people with whom you share feelings, desires, or a common purpose.

* * *

My lungs pushed out a sigh when the elevator doors opened. I was the first one out and received strange looks for it. We were ignored for the most part by everyone on the deck. My eyes scanned the area and I realized that this was the command deck and that there were quite a few people mulling around. It only made my outfit that much more confining.

An uncomfortable sound left my throat when I saw the Drell's eyes on me again. Brushing a piece of my frizzy bedhead out of my face to distract myself, I let my tongue dart out to lick my bottom lip. My tense posture was not going unnoticed by my friends. I paused as everyone filed out of the elevator, my eyes staring at nothing in particular and everything at once.

_His eyes stared at me with a passion few possessed. He looked at me with a love that only few would understand. I felt myself smile as I brought my hand to his face, running my thumb along his smooth cheek. His dark brown eyes captivated me on a deep level and I couldn't help myself, I leaned up and captured his lips._

My heart broke as I realized why the Drell made me uncomfortable. I shook my head and followed behind the commander of the ship. Once we had made it into the conference room I crossed my arms, ready to get some answers.

"I'm commander Kathrine Shepard of the SSV Normandy." She spoke, her voice filling the room. "This is Samara and Thane Krios." She paused, waiting for me to speak.

"Ah'm sure ye know mah name already." I said softly, my eyes glancing to her other companions. "Ah have quite a few questions, ma'am."

"Please, call me Shepard." My head bobbed slightly as I leaned against the side of the table.

"Ah don't mean tah offend, Shepard, but wha' kinda bullshit is this? Thah Normandy was taken down by a supposed Collectah ship almost two years ago, wit' ye inside." A small smile crossed her lips as she popped out a hip to get in a more comfortable position.

"I'm not that easy to kill." Shepard said and I snorted.

"Ah noticed." I quoted from our earlier conversation. "How are ye livin' an' breathin' on a ship that was destroyed?"

"Cerberus upgraded the ship while they were rebuilding me using cybernetic technology." I licked my lips and listened as she spoke about how she was awakened early and what a shock it was to realize that she died. All I could feel was anger, honestly. At Cerberus for using an icon like the first human Spectre as a slave for their cause. Her companions looked almost shocked as she revealed so much to me. There was a moment of silence before I spoke again.

"Do ye trust Cerberus?" Another pause.

"No, I don't. Never did."

"Good." I smirked. For a few seconds I felt my eyes blur and vivid memories of the pain after the surgeries pounded against my skull. My tone turned solemn. "How did ye find us?"

"We were on our way out of the Tasale system when we got a strange read on a planet. A distress message saying the Experiments were rebelling." A small growl ripped from my throat. There was more of us there, more experiments. Shepard looked at me, her eyebrows furrowed and a small frown on her lips.

"Did ye find anymore of thah Experiments?"

"No, they were all killed before we got there."

"Wha' kind o' experiments were they preformin' on 'em?" I whispered, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"They were experimenting with Element Zero and other species DNA."

My throat felt dry. Mary and Tony stood there in each others arms, trying to comfort the other. The Drell-Thane- examined me with that look again while the Asari-Samara- looked sympathetic. She was probably older than any of us in this room. My back straightened and I cleared my throat.

"Ah'd like tah continue this conversation latah, in private. If ye don' mind, Shepard." She looked to her companions and for a minute I thought she would say no.

"Of course not. We'll continue when you're ready."

"Thank ye. Ah only have a few more questions." Shepard nodded and waited for me to speak. We talked for awhile longer about Cerberus and how she was working for The Illusive man, the leader of the criminal and totally xenophobic group. Her task to save the human colonies that were disappearing and stop the Collectors from summoning the reaper invasion. Or, that was the gist, anyway. "Did the Illusive Man know wha' his people were doin' to us?"

"The answer he gave me was 'no', but I have my doubts." I nodded, my hands fumbling at my clothes.

"Who's clothes am Ah wearin'?"

"Mine. I figured you'd feel more comfortable in something that wasn't plastic." Samara spoke up, her voice calm and extremely regal.

"Thank ye." I smiled, bowing my head to show my gratitude. It did feel good to be able to move. "Who changed meh?"

"Our doctor, Karin Chakwas."

"She thah one in thah room when Ah woke up?"

"Yes." I nodded, the guilt back in full.

"Ah'd like tah apologize for reactin' tha' way." There was another long pause and I could feel my anxiety rise. Where would we go? Would Shepard drop us off at the nearest Alliance base, the nearest colony? "Wha' do ye plan tah do with us?"

"I'm glad you asked. I wanted to offer you three a job." I choked, my heart rising into my throat. There was a second of silence for us to process the offer-for me to stop coughing. "You would have complete access to the ship, a place to stay, and a steady income. If you don't want the job, we will drop you off anywhere you want."

"Wha' is thah job?" My voice was light, knowing we could choose to go home.

"You'd help me take down the Collectors and save the human colonies that are being abducted. It'd be a very dangerous job, one of which I don't know if we'd survive." There was a tense silence where everybody just kept looking at each other. The Alliance soldier in me said stay. The big sister in me told me to find Aurelia. I needed to think deeper on this.

"Ah think Ah speak for everyone when Ah say we'd need some time tah think over it." She nodded and told us to take our time and I gave her a small smile, nodding. Shepard, Samara and Thane left the room to give us some time alone. I turned to my friends and saw the relief in their eyes.

"We can go home, Fifi." My raven haired friend spoke, her eyes shining with joy.

"Ah know, Mary." A small frown etched itself on my face as I thought about Aurelia. She had to deal with losing our mother, then our brother and father. After everything was good again, she had to deal with losing me. What would seeing me again do to her? What would knowing I was alive all this time being tortured, do to her? How could I put her through something like that?

"I'm going home with Mary. I'm not going to die for something I never wanted to be a part of." Tony spoke, his words strong and final. I closed my eyes, making my decision.

"Ah'm staying."


	6. Welcome to the Team

**ATTENTION:** As you all know, this is a ThanexOCxGarrus story, as well as a ThanexFem!ShepxGarrus story. I'm having trouble deciding who gets who. **There is a poll on my page**, and I would love it if you voted. :]

This is a really short update, but I wanted to give you guys a new chapter for the holiday weekend. I'll be working on a ton more and if you have an questions about anything, **PM me.**

Thank you to **Dame LeeLee, DeathsDarkLover, Dinodude7, KrystylSky, and Lady Kat Stark** for following my story so far. Thank you **Dame LeeLee, DeathsDarkLover, and Dinodude7** for favoriting my story. And finally, Thank you **Dame LeeLee, Lady Kat Stark, and KrystalSky** for reviewing!

**Dame LeeLee:** Thank you so much! Here's the next one! ^^

**Lady Kat Stark:** Haha GameofFuckingThrones, GameofFuckingThrones, GameofFuckingThrones3 I'm glad you like it, I hope you enjoy this chapter, as well. :]

**Disclaimer:**

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast

Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.

Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**Welcome to the Team**

* * *

There was a second of silence between us.

"Are you insane, Fifer? This is a suicide mission!" Mary screeched, her body shaking. "All you ever talked about was going to find your sister when we got out, if we got out. We're. Out. We're out, Fifer! Are you really going to throw that away for people you don't know?"

"Ah haven' seen Aura in five years. She thinks Ah'm dead and ye expect me ta show up ou' of tha blue?" I reply, my anger getting the best of me. I could feel my throat vibrate in something akin to despair.

"She said she'd drop us off anywhere we choose. You could go somewhere else. Don't throw yourself into this." Tony said, sweeping his arm out at the Normandy's hologram.

"Wha' am Ah goin' ta tell 'er? 'Ah know ye though' Ah was dead, bu' Ah was jus' bein' tortured in a facility o' a known Alliance threat. No, Ah'm fine. They jus' added a bunch o' other species parts ta me.'" My voice was thicker than usual and I could feel a burning in the back of my head. A sudden rush of memories blurred in front of my eyes. It was the moment I woke up in the facility. I could feel a dull ache in my abdomen. One of the first experiments they had done, that I remembered.

"I didn't know it was five years..." Mary muttered, her throat humming a sad tune. I was one of their most prized experiments. I was the lead scientist most successful. I was a freak of nature.

"Five years, seven months." I gave her a bitter smile. "Ah was in thah third batch of people tha' Cerberus brough' in." Triston tightened is arm around Mary, his frown harsh and his eyes solemn. He had given up, knowing that it was the most logical choice. "Ah'm sorry Mary, bu' Ah have ta stay. Ah can' go back home."

Her lips quivered and I wanted to shoot myself in the leg. It would be less painful then to watch her cry. I opened my arms and she came rushing toward me. Her cries broke my heart. Triston came over and put a hand on my shoulder, his smile just as sad as Mary acted.

"I guess we should let Shepard know, then." I nodded my head in agreement, my arms tightening their hold on my small friend. She pulled back with a shaky frown. I know all she wanted to do was sob and take me home. I smiled and kissed her forehead before pulling away completely. After Mary dried her tears, we made our way to the doors. Mary once again finding a way into Tony's arms. The doors opened and I couldn't help the swirling in my stomach. Shepard kicked off the wall and walked toward us.

"Have you come to a decision?"

"Aye. Mary and Triston would like ta go home." Her bright baby blues widened a bit, but she smiled all the same. She's obviously heard about Aura. "Ah'd like ta be part o' ye crew." I held out my hand for her to shake. Shepard took my hand, shaking it firmly.

"Welcome to the team, Fifer."


	7. Superior

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for following my story! :D Thank you to **Alaria von Ravencroft, Dame LeeLee, DeathsDarkLover, Dinodude7, Exelis, KaeChan98, KrystylSky, Nemom, novahawk18, and shepardsss** for being wonderful followers!

Thank you to **Alaria von Ravencroft, Dame LeeLee, DeathsDarkLover, Dinodude7, and KaeChan98** for favoriting my story!

And a special thanks to **novahawk18** for reviewing the last chapter.

Novahawk18: I know it was really slow at the begining. Hopefully next chapter you'll see a bit more interactions with the crew and stuff.

**ATTENTION:****As you all know, this is a ThanexOCxGarrus story, as well as a ThanexFem!ShepxGarrus story. I'm having trouble deciding who is going to end up with who. ****There is a poll on my page****, and I would love it if you voted.**** :]**

**Disclaimer:**

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast

Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.

Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**Superior**

* * *

After I was given some new clothing-upon request- I was escorted to the cargo bay where Mary and Triston were set up. The commander called for a meeting in the morning to introduce me. An official meeting of my superiors. Shepard hadn't told me much about who was going to be there when she dropped me off in the makeshift sleeping quarters. It's safe to say I didn't get much sleep on the uncomfortable cot.

"You look nervous, bugga-boo." Tony said. His eyes scanned me and I'm almost certain he took notice of my tense posture and shaking hands. With little to no sleep, I had a very thin veil on my anxiety.

"Covering up a bunch, too." Mary added after tugging my long sleeve. She retreated when I gave her a small smile. "Are you sure you still want to do this?"

"Aye." I nodded, tugging on the vest I had back at the facility. "Ah'm jus' anxious. Ah think mah implants are acting up. Stomachs flippin' like Ah'm hangin' upside down." Triston chuckled at me and I frowned. "I's no' funny."

"Are you just a weeee bit scared, Fifi?" Tony teased. Turning away from him with my cheeks burning. I don't get scared meeting new people... At least, I didn't.

"Ah'm no' scared." I muttered, slipping on the shoes I had with me. His amusement was plain as day as he stood up and walked to Mary. A rustle of clothes told me they were in each others arms, once again. It was almost time for me to meet my superiors. I decided to head to the conference room and skip breakfast. "Time for me ta leave.."

"Good luck Fifer." Mary said, her voice a tad shaky. I smiled despite my nerves and kissed her forehead.

"Thank ye." I nodded to Tony before leaving to the elevator. A few people stopped to examine me as I walked out of the cargo bay. Obviously, not aware I was now one of their fellow crew. Walking up to the elevator, I prepared myself for my meeting. My finger grazed the button on the elevator when the doors I had just come from opened. A Quarian stepped out, holding a data pad close to her. Not expecting another person to be out here, she almost bumped into me. I blinked, stepping back. She stuttered and stumbled, obviously embarrassed.

"Keelah!" She breathed, her hand to her chest. "I'm very sorry. I didn't see you there."

"I's fine." My lips twitched in a smile. Quarians had always been an interesting species to me. "Probably didn' help thah Ah was standin' in tha middle o' tha room."

"No, no. It was my fault, I was distracted." Holding up her data pad, I felt a rush of air leave my lips in a small laugh. She stood there for a second, just examining me. In a fluid swoop, she stuck her hand out. "I'm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya."

"Fifer Leighton." I replied, shaking her hand. The Quarian froze up for a second. My name wasn't that weird, was it? Smiling nervously, I looked towards the elevator. "Ah'd love ta talk ta ye, bu' Ah have a meetin' ta get ta."

"You're the new recruit, aren't you? I'm supposed to be in that meeting too." Tali said, her voice a higher pitch. I was obviously not what she expected.

"Aye. Ah am."

"I'm the Chief Engeneer. I work over there, near the core." I nodded, motioning for her to go before me when the elevator arrived.

"I's lovely ta meet ye, Tali." I replied. As it gave a slow decent to the main deck, I bounced my leg, officially letting all calm go now that there was silence. In the back of my head, I knew I was being rude. My mind sucked me into another memory. I could remember my final written exam in Alliance training. That test made me sick with stress and I missed the day it was on. I was even thinking about flunking it just to feel better. Taking the test on a later date then it originally was given, I realized it wasn't that hard after all.

Letting myself drift into the vivid memory, I was almost completely unaware my ride had stopped a floor to soon. The air shifted as the people got on. A woman and a Turian. The woman was beautiful, everything perfectly proportioned. I blinked in surprise at the Turian as he stood as far away from the woman as possible and way to close to me. With a few steps back, I was pushed up against the wall. It was crowded and uncomfortable and I couldn't help but wonder when this would stop happening.

"Where on Earth are you from?" Tali spoke up, catching all of our attention. I didn't reply, feeling like there was cotton in my mouth. "If you don't mind me asking that is.."

"Ah'm from Scottland." I cleared my throat, trying to calm myself. "Ah haven' been back in a few years."

"Oh, uhm..." She stuttered, trying to find something to say.

"A mechanical genius. Yet, she still can't figure out small talk." My head snapped to the Turian and his flanging voice. It was very easy on the ears. His mandibles flared in a Turian smile and he radiated a sort of, friendly confidence. I couldn't help the twitch of my lips.

"You two shut it. We have more important matters to attend to." The woman spoke, her accent distinctly British and cold. Like ice. She obviously had a stick lodge up her ass. There was no way her back could be that straight. The elevator doors opened and we all stepped out, making out way to the conference room. They must be some of my superiors. I tugged on my sleeves, trying to make them longer. An awkward silence hung in the air as the doors of the conference room opened. Once again I thought of just flunking out and walking back to Mary and Triston.

"Fifer, I didn't know you had already met some of the team." Shepard said, coming around the table to greet us.

"Ah hadn'." I mumbled, giving her hand a quick shake. "Jus' took thah ride up here."

"Let me introduce you, then." She spoke, her hand gesturing for me to move closer to the table everyone was standing around. "Miranda Lawson, executive officer. She has an office near the ships battery. Which, you will be shown after the meeting." Miranda sported the Cerberus outfit like it was her own skin. "This is Tali'Zorah narr Rayya, chief engineer. She works in the drive core." I sent her a small smile. "Jacob Taylor, our armory chief. He works in the room to our right." He sent me a small smile which I returned. "Garrus Vakarian, our gunnery officer. He works in the main battery." His bright blue eyes made my stomach twist in ways I didn't like. A small vibration left my throat as I turned to look at the Salarian. He was looking at me like he was trying to take me apart. Limb and organ. He had to be the scientist. "And finally, our only science officer, Mordin Solus. He works in the room to our left."

"Seems interesting. Heard vocal harmonics of Turian. Must be implants. Very interesting." Mordin muttered, rubbing his chin. I'm sure no one else had heard him, maybe the Turian. Taking a chance to glance at the gunnery officer, I was almost shocked to see his expression. His eyes had widened and he stood tense, slack jawed. I mewed again and turned towards the commander. Damn Cerberus.

"This is Fifer Leighton, our newest recruit. I expect you all to welcome her and show her how things are done around here." The British woman crossed her arms and cocked her hip. Her face pursed like she was sucking on something sour. The defiance in her stance was extremely apparent.

"With no disrespect Shepard," She spoke, sarcasm radiating from her voice. "I don't understand why you had allowed her to join the Normandy. She should be home, reuniting with her family."

There was a long pause in which I felt a warm anger enter me. It made me warm. The audacity of this woman. Speaking as if I wasn't in the room. I wish I could throw her through a wall or two. Crossing my arms and mimicking her position, I stared her down. Fucking bitch. Given the chance, I could be ten times more useful then she was.

"She's here because she could be a valuable member of the team. We need all the help we can get." Miranda let out a huff of air and uncrossed her arms. The commanders word was law. "I have some business to take care of, and some things to discuss with Miranda and Jacob. Would one of you mind showing her around?"

"Of course!" Tali spoke up, coming around the table. I could hear the happiness in her voice, and it shocked me. It made me feel welcomed, comfortable. I smiled at her. "Shall we get going?"

"Aye. I' was nice meetin' ye all." I spoke, meeting everyone in the eyes. The Turian-Garrus- was still a bit slack jawed. After relaxing from my stance I followed closely behind Tali. We exited the room and just as we turned the corner, we saw a familiar looking Drell. He met my eyes and I could feel my heart skip a beat.


	8. Embarrassing

AN: I know it's been awhile, I'm having some life issues right now. And I was really contemplating rewriting this story. It isn't as good as I would have hoped and I realized how much better it could've been if I just took my time. I might keep this one going, and create a new one, something more believable. Make the new one everything this one isn't. Maybe make it an ME3 story. I'm not sure. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT IDEA, please. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next instalment.

Thank you to everyone who has followed my story, me and has made me and the story their favorites. Thank you! If it wasn't for you guys, I would have given up on it a few chapters ago.

Disclaimer:

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast  
Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.  
Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**Embarrassing **

* * *

"Thane! Come and meet the new recruit!" The perky Quarian half shouted across the combat information center. A fire lit in my cheeks as people swiveled their heads to stare at me. They didn't stop as we made our way over to him, and him to us. By the time we were close, the tips of my toes were on fire.

"Ah've already me' Thane..." I muttered rubbing my cheek and hiding behind my wild curls. She must have not heard me or she just chose to ignore me.

"Thane, this is Fifer Leighton." She pulled me next to her with a gentle hand. Her friendly disposition was almost insincere. Almost. "Fifer, this is Thane Krios."

"It's nice to see you again, Miss Leighton." The Drell bowed his head in greeting. I could see the green iris of his extremely dark eyes and the stars reflected off them in a way that made my heart beat a bit faster.

"Please, call me Fifer."

"Then you may call me Thane." My lips twitched up in a small smile. He clasped his hands behind his back, making the leather of his outfit tighten against his broad chest. Thanes muscles were much more defined.

"I didn't know you already met. Sorry." Tali's hand rubbed the back of her head and she had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. I let out a soft chuckle.

"I's okay, Tali." Her hands came down in front of her and she tilted her head, relieved I wasn't upset. Why would I?

"Let's go meet some more of the crew then." I nodded at her, my eyes moving towards Thane.

"It was nice seeing you again, Fifer." My cheeks glowed when he sent me a tiny smile. I followed behind Tali, tongue tied as I met his eyes one last time. He was just being polite, I knew. Nothing about the way he acted towards me should make me so shy. There was something there, under his pleading and pained eyes, under his aloof attitude. It was something that made my toes curl and my heart pound.

Memories pounded against my skull, I knew this feeling. My first time in a battle. Sneaking through the facility, escaping. I smiled to myself. It was danger. It radiated off him in waves.

We continued on to the hull, most likely to meet the pilot.

"Jeff! Have you met the new recruit yet?" She questioned, obviously not wanting to make that mistake again.

Throughout the day, I had met all of the crew. Most of them were very kind to me. I really enjoyed talking to Jeff and Samara, again. They were very kind to me and answered all my questions. I would enjoy my time here, I knew. Tali told me that we were recruiting a few more people and that we needed to be prepared for anything, so it'd be awhile before the main mission. It gave me a bit of peace knowing I'd have a few more months out of the facility I was kept in. Some kind of freedom. I smiled to myself as Tali walked me back to the Cargo bay. This was going to be great fun.


	9. The CIC

AN: SORRY. Family has gotten extremely tough and I've been going through some problems of my own... And Yes, this is short, I know. The next chapter will be longer, and better. I truly hope you enjoy this, even if it is a filler.

**Thank you to all who have followed and favorited**, and a **BIG thanks** to **Pikahopp** for messaging me and reviewing and being a lovely human. The next chapter is for you. ;]

Disclaimer:  
Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast  
Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.  
Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**The CIC**

* * *

"Miss Leighton, the Commander wishes for you to meet her in the Combat Information Center." I flinched at the unexpected interruption. A chuckle echoed around the walls of our small and quaint quarters.

"Aye, Thank ye, Edi." I replied to the fully functioning ship. Sending a playful glare in Tony's direction, I pulled on my combat boots. I was still trying to get used to Edi being an AI, a Cerberus AI. I wonder if she was reporting everything we did to Cerberus. Letting out a sigh, I decided I couldn't dwell on it.

Saying a quick goodbye to Tony and Mary, I rushed to the elevator. Maybe it was a bit strange that I was excited, but I couldn't help it. I waited for the painfully slow machine to reach my floor. In a world where we made ships that were faster than light, how could we not make faster elevators? I let a smirk cross my face and I snorted, not caring if someone saw me.

"What's so funny, Fifer?" The curious Quarian asked. Her hands behind her back. I once again jumped, both hands holding my heart as I whipped around to look at Tali. Her shoulders shook with barely contained laughter. The look of pure terror on my face must be fucking hilarious. Seeing her laughing though, made me quickly join in with a chuckle of my own. "Oh, I'm sorry Fifer. You just looked-what is that saying you have?- like a rodent in a spotlight?" I let out a chuckle, gripping the corners of my vest.

"Like a deer in headlights." I offered. "Although, tha' analogy works ta." She nodded and let out another small laugh. Once the lift arrived, we stepped in. After a moment of comfortable silence, Tali spoke.

"You know, I never quite figured out how you could make those sounds with your throat.." The smile dropped slightly from my face as memories were pushed to the forefront of my head. I still had two tiny silver scars near my collar bone. Being one of the first few experiments was hard, especially when the had shit tech to operated with. I hadn't even realized I was humming.

"There's anotha sayin' we have on Earth, I think it suits ye very well." I blatantly avoided her question. The elevator doors opened once again, this time to reveal Garrus, Mordin, and Thane.

"What is it?" The Quarian looked honestly curious.

"Curiosity killed tha cat." The men entered after we gave them some space. Garrus stared long and hard at me, and I could feel it. He was never quite comfortable with me. And the way the Drell soaked me in with his eyes left me uncomfortable. "Bu' tha cat has nine lives."

"What's a cat and why does it have nine lives?" A large smile broke out across my face and I laughed. From the corner of my eye, I saw Mordins lips twitch, like he wanted to explain the small balls of fur.

"Ah'll show ye some other time. They're tha cutest things." She nodded and we all delved into a strange silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, just, strange. I didn't have much time to think on it because the doors of the lift opened.

We all walked to the CIC in silence. I was curious as to why I was going. Maybe the Commander wanted me to see how things worked around here. We had talked for a brief time where she asked me many questions and I gave many answers. In return, I asked many questions myself, also asking if I could have access to Earth records to check up on my sister. She agreed without a second thought. I told her I was a combat medic and how I graduated at the top of my class. Of course, I knew she had all this on file. Personally, I think she much preferred talking to me than reading the file. The doors swished open and we all walked in, seeing Miranda, Jacob, Samara and the Commander already leaning around the table. I was somewhat squished between Thane and Tali as we looked toward Shepard.

"We're picking up our next recruit." She said, straight to the point as always. ''His name is Okeer. According to our scans, he should be somewhere in this general area." Edi pulled up some sort of junkyard on the hologram table. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "We picked up a few encrypted transmissions. The transmissions were most likely sent from the Blue Suns."

"What are the Blue Suns doing on Korlus?" The Turian spoke up, his flanging voice making stomach flip. He had his arms crossed and he was leaning casually against the wall. My mind threw knowledge of Turian anatomy to the front of my consciousness and I couldn't help but blush. I quickly turned my eyes to the Commander when he looked my way.

"This entire area is a Blue Suns base." Shepard said, giving him a look. His mandibles flared in a smile. There was obviously an inside joke there somewhere. "Recent scans have picked up several GARDIAN laser turrets." The hologram changed and now had little red dots littering the area, showing us where the big anti-air guns were. "We're going to use the Kodiak and drop in as silently as possible." There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

"I want all of you to suit up." She said, her hand gripping her hip. Sassy. I smirked, reading her tone loud and clear. She was aggravated this couldn't be a simple grab and go. "I want to meet near the shuttle in two hours" There was a series of murmured agreements and I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

I was making my way out of the room when the Commander called my name. I turned, nearly running into Garrus. I looked up and smiled crookedly, anxiety filling my heart. A small nervous purr vibrated out of my throat. He stared hard down at me, but I could faintly hear a murmur of sound coming from his own sub-harmonics. It was calming.

"Ah'm sorry, Vakarian."

"Just Garrus." He replied, after my nervous sounds died out. I blinked, nodding.

"Garrus." He flashed me a smile and stepped back to let me pass him. I sent him a small, shy smile back. Awkward... The Commander spoke as soon as the doors closed.

"I know you don't have a suit or weapons, so we're going to have to improvise until we can stop and grab you some."

"Aye, Commander. Ah don' need much. Jus' a simple light-weight armor. Maybe a shotgun, if ye got one ta spare." She leaned her hip on the table, her arms crossed. The blonde looked as though she was holding herself together. Her body language read stressed to very keen eyes. I couldn't even imagine what she was going through. Whatever it was, it was tough. "Are ye okay, Shep?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking." The Commander straitened up trying to hide what I already saw. The weight of the universe was on her shoulders, again. There was a long pause. "I think I might have some light armor down in the shuttle bay if you'd like to take a look."

"If ye have extra.." I smiled, my hands gripping the edges of my vest. I really needed some pockets.


	10. Armour

AN: Dedicated to Pikahop...

I FINALLY POSTED IT. THANK GOD. F*** YOU SCHOOL!

Thank you to everyone who has followed my story, me and has made me and the story their favorites. Thank you! If it wasn't for you guys, I would have given up on it chapters ago.

Disclaimer:

Fan - An ardent devotee; an enthusiast  
Fiction - A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact.  
Fan Fiction - Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, game, etc.

**I DO NOT OWN ANY BIOWARE CONTENT**

* * *

**Armour**

* * *

We made our way down to the shuttle bay making small conversation. She let me in on her little on-going joke with Garrus. How he'd never let go of the fact she was- and I quote- 'Dragging me into hell with your tiny fists of pain.'

"'Tiny fists of pain'?" I laughed, glancing at her. The blonde bobbed her head, a trait she had obviously picked up from the Turian.

"That's a story for another time." Shepard told me about when she was recruiting him. How she found him in a sticky situation with the major gangs on Omega. He had gotten up just a few hours later after getting a rocket to the face.

"At least now, he can pick up Krogan woman." I couldn't help but let out a chuckle at her joke. Kathrine was an amazing person. Noble, strong willed. She was ballsy but with an extremely kind and caring nature. Like a clam. Rugged and hard on the outside, but soft and hiding treasures within. I knew now why she had been chosen as the first human Spectre.

"Ye can't be serious. Ye actually punched a reporta?" My voice came out strange, the vibrations sending it higher towards the end.

"Yeah. She was saying something about how I was abandoning humanity. I don't remember much, but it sure did feel good." A hardy laugh escaped me and I placed my hand on her shoulder for support.

"Ye're truly somthin' else, Shep." The Commanders face had become much lighter, her mood was obviously raising. I was happy to see her in much better spirits than before. When the doors of the elevator opened, we both stepped out. The blonde turned to a few piles of crates and boxes. She gestured with her head to a piles.

"Start going through those. I'm not to sure where the armor will be." I nodded making my way to the grey space-safe boxes.

"Wha' is all this stuff?" I asked, elbow deep in strange sounding creams and medical supplies. Scrunching my nose when I opened one of them, I quickly shut the lid. The smell that came out of it was slightly, enthralling. It gave me a strange warmth in the pit of my stomach.

"That's Drell medical supplies and other thi... What are you doing?" The Commander questioned me, giving me a look. Thinking I was strange for smelling it. I blushed a fine shade of red and shoved it back into the crate.

It took almost an hour to find big enough light-weight human armor, seeing as I was a little more curvy than the average female. Having spent most of my time on my ass. Being Scottish helped, leaving me with wide hips and small everything else. Except my mouth, I had a big mouth for sure.

After finding one remotely my size, I had to put it on. It took almost an hour and a half to get me in the stupid armor. On top of that, I had to ask Shepard to help me. I couldn't get the thing above my ass. This had to be the most embarrassing thing to happen to me. This armor was hell. It wasn't comfortable, it didn't breathe, and to top it all off, the metal on the hips jutted out in an awkward way. Like tiny arm rests.

"Ah'm sorry 'bout earlier, Shep." I muttered, my throat humming in embarrassment. Stepping out of a secluded section of the Shuttle bay when I had final gotten into the damned thing, I saw Shepard waiting patiently with part of the team. Thane was leaning against a tall set of crates and Tali was sitting on the Asari medical supplies, which I had found-and sniffed-a lovely cream. Truth be told, I set the cream smelling of roses and sweet fruits aside for later examination. Everyone was armored up and waiting. A scarlet color dusted my cheeks when Samara, Garrus, and Mordin stepped out of the lift. I guess I took quite a long time. Stupid suit.

"Can you move in it?" She asked, ignoring my apology. I bent from side to side, lifting my arms above my head and twisted. With some difficulty, I could move.

"Aye..." My eyes scanned everyone, as I settled my hands on top of my head. It was the most comfortable position, keeping the suit from digging into my under arms. Thane was staring at me with that strange look on his face, again. It gave me that strange warm feeling in my stomach the cream did. Tali was also staring at me, her head tilted. I wonder what she was thinking. Samara had taken to standing at the Mako with Mordin. His mouth moving a mile a minute. Miranda and Jacob were chatting at their lockers. Garrus had stopped to tweak a weapon of his, his body was tense. Raising a brow I examined him. The Turian was standing like a soldier. Feet together, back straight. Nothing like his usual posture. His eyes kept glancing at me, or parts of me.

My gaze traveled to where his eyes had settled and I almost laughed. This metal of the suit stuck out more than usually and made my hips look huge. A small purr of amusement escaped me and I saw his head jerk up to meet my eyes and shit eating grin. Of course it was embarrassing and my cheeks had darkened in color, but it was hilarious all the same. I saw Shepard and Tali turn their heads. I could faintly hear a low huff from the Drell as he turned as well.

"What's the matter Garrus?" The Commander asked. Her voice coy, her smile much larger than mine. Tali had turned away from him, her shoulders shaking. If Turians could blush...

"Wha-What? Nothings the matt-ter. Why do you ask?" He stuttered out, a low rumble coming from his throat. The tall, usually cocky Turian was fidgeting with his gun. Garrus couldn't even look in my direction. SHeppard laughed, shaking her head.

"Alright team! Huddle up! We're going to discuss our game plan." I smiled, sauntering my way over to her, making a show of swinging my hips. I felt eyes on me as I sauntered over. "We're probably going to be experiencing some resistance. First things first, we try and take out as many Suns as we can. Lord knows the universe could use a bit less." She shook her head, a loose blonde strand flying free of her low twist. "I want to take them head on and try to find our way around. We're going to be separated into three groups of three. Fifer, Samara, your stuck with me. Miranda, I want you to take Mordin and Thane. Head right. Garrus is going to take Tali and Jacob and head left. Try to bottle neck them in a center location. We'll be coming from the middle, a bit farther back." A series of noise followed soon after. She was going to be testing my abilities and I couldn't have been more nervous.

I stepped toward the vehicle, waiting patiently to enter the Mako. One by one they piled in. With a heavy sigh, I bent forward and tried to step in the door. The suit bounced back making me stumble. I should permanently paint myself red at this point. A loud rumble of shame left me as I tried again, receiving the same result. Fucking suit. Garrus stepped towards me, offering a hand. Letting out a hum of appreciation, I grabbed it, tired of embarrassing myself.

"Thank ye." A quiet bubble of noise left my throat. There was a pause in the Turians demeanor as he raked his eyes over me again. Letting out a soothing hum, he let go of my hand and turned towards the gun.

"No problem."


End file.
